How did this shopper get her entire Christmas meal from Asda for FREE?

Savvy shopper Anushka Fernando took up the hobby of 'wombling'

It's the most expensive time of the year for families, and an estimated 16 million households are likely to hit the red this Christmas with the cost of big festive feast up 14% on last year at the Big Four supermarkets, according to insight.

A typical list of 12 items at a non-discounted retailer will cost the average shopper £64.25 for up to six people this year. That works out at a cost of £10.71 per person compared with £9.41 in 2015, according to MySupermarket.

But there are plenty of clever ways to beat the festive price hikes. Incredibly thrifty shopper Anushka Fernando, has revealed how she blagged her entire Christmas feast for FREE thanks to the latest money-saving craze 'wombling'.

The 31-year old Magic Freebies blogger from Guildford is hosting Christmas for the first time next week - but it won't be costing her a penny - because she's been cashing in on your unwanted Asda receipts - and LOTS of them too.

"This year I'm hosting my first ever Christmas with the family so a few months ago I did some research into how I could get my Christmas dinner for free," she told Mirror Money.

"Through ASDA advertising in store, on TV and online, I knew they did a Price Guarantee so I thought I would try it out with my next ASDA receipt," Anushka told Mirror Money.

After trying out the coupon tactic, Anushka quickly realised she could be raking in a lot more by cashing in on receipts lying around inside and outside stores - claiming back the money back coupons - and getting cash off her next shop, in a hobby better known as 'Wombling'.

The longer the receipt the better, as you can only claim coupons on receipts of eight items or more.

"I quickly started to notice lots of unwanted receipts on the floor so decided to pick them up. It was only later I realised I was actually 'wombling'. I had heard of the term before and know it's popular."

Taking their name from the fictional Wombles of Wimbledon Common, who recycle rubbish, Wombles use their receipts - and any they find lying around - to cash in on price guarantee schemes offered by major supermarkets.

Asda's Price Guarante scheme, means if your grocery shopping is not 10% cheaper than Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons or Waitrose, you'll receive the difference back - and there's no cap on how much you can claim.

"All you need to do is keep hold of your receipt at the end of your shop and enter the unique TC number at the bottom into the Asda website. They will confirm in a matter of seconds whether your shop was cheaper elsewhere," explains Anushka.

"If so they'll give you a coupon for the difference that you can spend in store!"

"When I was shopping in my local ASDA I began to notice there were so many discarded receipts lying around in and around the store. Once you start looking, they are everywhere - on the floor, outside, and in trolleys!

"I didn't see any issue with picking them up, in fact I think I'm helping with cleaning up! You'd be surprised how many people chuck away their receipt.

She quickly started collecting all the receipts that people didn't want and inputting the codes at home at night. The amounts varied from 29p to £1.29, but it soon added up to a hefty amount.

Earlier this week, we spoke to penny-pinching mum Lorna who revealed her top three secrets to cutting her Christmas supermarket bill in half.

The mum-of-four, said looking for reduced items, buying treats in the summer, and having a lot of freezer space - are her biggest secrets to snapping up all the deals.

Have you got any top tips to share? Let us know in the comments section below.

What exactly is 'Wombling'?

Wombling can help you make savings at supermarkets like Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury's.

At Asda this can work through its price guarantee. This promises if your shop isn't 10% cheaper than rivals Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons or Waitrose you'll get the difference via a voucher, which you can claim using the barcode on receipts via the website or app.

At Tesco and Sainsbury's womblers can cash in on unclaimed loyalty points. Sainsbury's and Tesco both allow you collect unredeemed Nectar and Clubcard points up to 14 days after shopping with a receipt. So discarded receipts from these stores can be collected to boost points, which can be turned into money off vouchers.

This method is known as 'Wombling' and is popular amongst money-savvy coupon fans.

"You need to be really brave as you may get a few funny looks off people but it's totally worth it," reveals Anushka.

"It's like a scratchcard you don't know how much free money you're going to get!"

Anushka is not the only money-saving Mirror reader to get in touch with her hidden hobby.

Next time you pop to your local Asda, there may be a man like Stephen Auker in the corner of the carpark just itching to pick your receipt up - and making £200 a month in the process.

Stephen says he gets 60% of his weekly Asda shop completely free - and sometimes he actually gets paid to shop there - head his secrets to wombling for a living here .

While many wombles prefer to discreetly loiter behind the bins, Stephen films his hunts through supermarket carparks.

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